Mechanical figure



J. A. MORIN MECHANICAL FIGURE Jan. 1s, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept.24, -1947 lo-SEPH A. MORIN Jan. 16, 1951 J. A. MORIN 2,538,162

MECHANICAL FIGURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 24, 1947 dass pH MORINPatented Jan. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES. PATENT yOFFICE Y I 2,538,162 j lMECHANICAL FIGURE Joseph Albert Morimiersey city, N. J. ApplicationSeptember 24, 1947, Serial No. '175,791

Y This invention relates to animated figures.

van improved mechanism by means of which one arm of a gure may beoperated in a manner to simulate the natural movement of a human arm.

A further object of this invention is to provide an animated figure ofadult size which is adapted to be mounted outdoors with the body of thefigure stationary and one arm swingable across the front of the figureand the swinging arm bending at the elbow during the swinging thereof.

To the foregoing objects, and others which may hereinafter more fullyappear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combinationand arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to andillustrated. in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understoodthat changes, variations, and modications may be resorted to which fallwithin the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a ligure, partly brokenaway, constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the operating mechanism of the device.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the operating connectionbetween the driving means and the movable arm embodied. in the device.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I designates generally a figureembodying a body or torso II with a pair of arms I2 and I3. The torso IIis of hollow construction and in the present instance the arm I3 isstationary, whereas the arm I2 is movable as will be hereinafterdescribed.

In order to provide for movement or animation of the arm I2, I haveprovided an operating mechanism which includes a base I4 adapted to bexedly secured in the lower portion of the torso I I. The base I4 hasmounted on the upper side thereof an upright frame plate I5 which isbraced by means of pairs of substantially triangular bracing members IBand I'I.

A motor I8 is mounted on the upper side of the base I4 and includes ashaft I9 which is connected with a transmission 20 also secured on 2Claims. (Cl. 46--119) the upper side of the base I4. A vertical-shaft 2|extends from the transmission 25 andis connected with a speed reducingmechanism 22 secured to the frame plate I5 above the transmission 20.

A driven shaft 23 extends from the upper side of the speed reducer '22and has secured thereto a crank member 24. An inclined crank shaft 25has its lower end journalled or rockably mounted as indicated at 26 onthe upper side of the base I4 and theshaft 25 extends through a bearing21 which is fixedly carried by the bight of a U-.shaped supporting strapor bar 28.

'The strap or bar 28 is formed with hook-shaped rear ends 29 engagingthe opposite verticaledges of the frame plate I5 and secured in verticaladjusted position relative to the frame plate Al5 by means of set screws30.

The crank shaft 25 has secured adjacent the upper end thereof a crankmember 3I anda pitman 32 is operatively connected between the two crankmembers 24 and 3l. The pitman 32 is formed of a pair of spaced apartparallel plates 33 which are held in spaced apart relation 'by means ofspacers 34 through which securing bolts 35 engage.

A crank pin 36 is xedly secured to the crank member 24 and is providedat its upper end with a ball 31 which engages confronting ball sockets38 formed on the inner sides of the pitman plates 33. The crank member3I has secured thereto a crank pin 39 which is also formed at its upperend with a ball 45 engaging in confronting ball sockets similar tosockets 38 formed on the inner sides of the pitman plates 33.

An elongated bar 4I is fixed`at its inner end to the crank member 3|being formed with a downwardly bent inner end 42 which is secured as at43 to one side of the crank member 3l. A second. securing member 44extends through the upper side of the bar 4I and is threaded into theupper side of the crank member 3I. A pivoted outer bar 45 which isformed at its inner end with a fork 46 is pivotally mounted as at 41 onthe outer end of the inner bar 4I. The bar 4I formsthe upper arm of thefigure and the bar 45 forms the lower or outer arm member of the figure.

The bar 4I is adapted to be suitably covered With sufficient material soas to simulate the upper portion and the configuration of a normal arm.The lower bar 45 is also adapted to be covered with padding or the liketo conform to the conguration of the lower arm of a gure. The bar45 atits outer end is formed with a stud or tapered pin 48 about which a hand49 is adapted to engage. The outer bar 45 is spring-pressed to swinginwardly by means of a exible connection 50 which is connected betweenthe bar 46 and the bar supporting member 218.

The iiexible connection 50 is shown as being in the form of a chainwhich is secured at its outer end as at 5| to the bar 45 and is securedas at 52 to the supporting member 28, at av point located to the rear ofthe bearing 2'! supporting the shaft 25. A spring 53 is interposedbetween the ends of the flexible member 5B and is of such tension thatwhen the bar 4| is swung toward the front of the gure I0 the spring 53will be tensioned to cause the outer bar 45 to swing inwardly relativeto the upper bar 4I.

When the upper bar 4I is swung outwardly and rearwardly the tension onthe spring 53 is def creased and the weight of the bar 45 with thepadding and other elements secured thereto will 'swing' the vbar 45outwardly to substantially straighten out the arm.

Inv the use and operation of this device, the figure I 0 is set up at aconvenient location in an upright position. The motor I8 is connected toa source of electric supply and the speed reducer 28 is designed toreduce the speed of the driven shaft 23 to a point where the bars 4I and45 will swing in a slow manner simulating the movement of a person. Thisdevice can be used for attracting the attention of passing motorists toa gas station, inn, or other establishment and in view of the simplicityof the device, it can be operated at small cost and for an indefiniteperiod of time.

I claim: 1. An animated gure comprising a body, a

frame insaid body, at-least one swingable arm carried by said body, saidarm including upper and lower elongated members, means pivotallysecuring said members together,v a crank rockably carried by said frame,means xedly securing said upper member to said crank, a second crankrotatably carried by said frame, means for rotating said second crank,anoperative connection between said cranks whereby said first crank willbe oscillated upon rotation of said second crank, a. iiexible connectionbetween said frame rearwardly of said first crank and said lower member,and a spring interposed in said flexible connection whereby said lowermember will be biased to assume an acute angle relative to said uppermember, said spring being of such tension that upon outward and rearwardswinging of said arm said lower Imember will gravitatingly swing tosubstantially a straight angle relative to said upper member.

2. An animated figure comprising a body, a frame in said body, anoutwardly inclined shaft journalled in said frame, means for rockingsaid shaft, a swingable arm including upper and lower elongated members,means pivotally securing said members together, mean xedly mounting saidupper member to the top of said shaft, spring means having one endconnected to said lower member and the other end thereof connected tosaid frame rearwardly of said shaft whereby when said shaft is rockedforwardly said spring means will be tensioned to urge said lower memberinto bent relationship relative to said upper member, and when saidshaft is rocked rearwardly the tension of said spring means is reducedto allow the weight of said lower member to urge it into straightrelationship relative to said upper member.

JOSEPH ALBERT MORIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,169,380 Barrett Aug. l5, 1939FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 603,855 Germany Oct. l0, 1934

